


Everything Under the Sun

by norjeajac



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Bittersweet Ending, Fluff, Gen, God! Hinata, I play with mythology elements, Light Angst, Misunderstandings, Mortal! Kageyama, Mythology - Freeform, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:48:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24541093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/norjeajac/pseuds/norjeajac
Summary: "I'm going to go," Hinata declared, the words suddenly spilling out of his mouth.Yachi stared at him wide eyed, her mouth agape. He was just as surprised as her to be completely honest. "You- you're going to visit earth? The mortals? Are gods allowed to do that?""Of course we are!"When Hinata, the sun god, decides to visit the mortal realm, it sets in motion a series of events that will have consequences.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou & Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 12
Kudos: 18





	1. New Beginnings

Every morning the sun would rise. Every mortal knew this. 

As the first beams of light broke across the horizon, the star god's tapestry of constellations fading away, they said their sun god was opening his eyes for the first time: ready to greet the new day. Then he'd stretch, one limb at a time, the soft glow of dawn chasing away the dark black of night. Saying,  _ time for the Night Court to rest _ . 

The sun's golden rays would break through the treetops, shooting light beams in every direction, painting the sky's rich canvas ethereal pinks and yellows and blues.

And every mortal paid their respects. The most devoted of worshipers burned an offering. Some meat, fine cloth, or a rare item. Less zealous, but still just as devoted, offered a prayer of thankfulness. Others still, simply bowed their heads in reverence.

All recognized the sun as their benefactor. It gave them warmth, light, and life. And they were grateful.

They never concerned themselves with the thought that the sun might not come. Why wouldn’t it? Through the sun god’s grace it rose and fell every day without fail.

And the sun god was  _ always  _ on time.

* * *

Hinata skidded along the halls of the Day Court. He'd completed his morning tasks and now had a little free time before he had to move the sun again. The mortals called this ‘midday’, or so he’d heard. About the time they’d be eating their second meal of the day: lunch. 

He dodged around one of Suga's wind attendants. A vaguely humanoid shaped spirit that -as the name suggested- was entirely made of wind. This one carried a stack of books on a small wind vortex out to the side. Hinata's breakneck pace nearly made him slam into it. 

Fast reflexes helped him jump out of the way at the last second. The attendant lifted the books over its head and tried to slide away. The action, however, wasn't as smooth as Hinata's had been, making the items wobble precariously on their perch. 

"Whoops! Sorry," he apologized, barely slowing down to say it properly. It was a bad habit, and one Suga was yet to break. If he ever could pin the young sun god in one place long enough to do so.

The spirit yelled after him in its language. When angry, its words more closely resembled the low howling of a storm.

Hinata paid it no mind and continued on. 

He was the only member of the Day Court and so had this side of the palace all to himself. Made of white marble and gilded gold, it shone far brighter than any earthly palace could ever dream of. And the offerings Hinata received each morning only grew his vast collection of precious items.

He flew through the hallways, bare feet slapping on the stone floor. Just another thing the attendants were always getting after him about.

Finally he arrived. He flung open the doors to the balcony.

Yachi glanced up from where she had been sitting on the balcony wall twisting one of her loose strands of hair into a tight spiral. Upon seeing him, she hurriedly jumped down and bowed, the hair bouncing free as a loose curl by her face. "Sun god Hinata!"

“Yachi, I told you, you don’t need to do that.” He rolled his eyes, moving closer to lift himself on the wall. "C'mon, we've known each other for how long now?"

She stood from her bow and shuffled her feet. "For several months, your-" she caught his frown, "Hinata."

"Then you don't need to use honorifics. I'm not going to get after you for not using them. Unlike some of the other gods."

Still, she hesitated.

Hinata groaned. "Can you just come sit up here with me and tell me the news?"

Like she'd been struck by one of Noya's lightning bolts, she straightened. "Of course!" She yelped, eager to please. She clamoured onto the balcony wall beside him - maintaining a proper, respectful distance - and they sat together, letting their feet swing over the edge as they watched the clouds pass by down below. Neither feared the unseen drop below.

Hinata couldn't fault Yachi for attempting to be respectful. It was simple. He was a god. Untouchable. Distant. Powerful. Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. There were some other gods that liked to be that way, but not Hinata. He revealed in others' company. It made him brighter, happier.

The wind attendants weren't great company. Hinata practically made it a game to avoid them most of the time. They were even more stiff and insufferable than the Night Court. And that was saying something.

His favorite person was Suga, but the Sky god was often gone. Traveling to other corners of the world to do business or meet with other gods. Hinata would love to join him on his travels, but his duties as the sun got in the way. Always waking up early to raise it from behind the horizon, then keep it on it's smooth trajectory across the sky. It was repetitive work but that's why Yachi's visits were so looked forward to.

Speaking of whom, the cloud spirit smoothed her pure white robes across her lap. Hinata leaned forward in anticipation. It was almost ritual like; their meetings. She'd insist it was improper and he'd insist that he wanted to hear about it anyway and then she'd tell him the gossip from the villages and cities she'd heard over the week while spinning clouds under one of the dual weather gods.

She inhaled, "A young woman in the blue valley gave birth to her first child, but it turned out to be twins. Two boys: named Hina and Tsukishi."

"She named them after me and Tsukishima?"

"Yes. The mortals believe that twins are a sign of favor from the sun and moon."

Hinata laughed, "but we didn't do anything! We’re the gods of the sun and moon, how can we control what children they have? Mortals have such strange beliefs."

Yachi let out a small chuckle as well, then continued. "The winter solstice is coming in the next few weeks so many places are preparing for the Festival of Beginnings-"

"Festival of Beginnings?" Hinata tilted his head curiously. He'd slowly been learning more about mortal holidays and traditions from what Yachi had observed, but he hadn't heard of this one before.

"So, every year, the winter solstice is the longest night of the year." Hinata was well aware of that. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were extra busy during that time. "But it also marks the midpoint of winter. So the mortals celebrate surviving the first half as well as the changes that will be coming in the next few weeks as spring arrives and the crop season starts.," Yachi explained.

"Do they play games? And dance?"

Those were the usual activities at celebrations like these. During the Harvest festival there was a huge feast and everyone danced until it was time for Hinata to lower the sun at the end of the day. 

He'd begged Yachi to show him some dances when she'd visited a few days after the festival. She'd resisted at first, insisting that she'd only seen them from where she'd been weaving from above and didn't know all the steps. Hinata didn't care. His curiosity overtook him and he  _ had  _ to see.

Her dancing had been stiff and awkward. Jerky movements as she tried to remember what went where and when. It wasn't anything like the dancing he'd seen from spirits in the Sky Kingdom, all loose and flowing. The mortal way was rough edged and loud. Full of stomps and claps and wild turns with no sense of grace or refinement.  _ He loved it _ .

She'd taught him games from the children she'd watched playing in villages. Hide and seek. Tag. Clapping games with silly rhymes and chants. Hinata loved those even more and always tried to drag her into doing it with him. Though, it was rare when Yachi would let herself be so carefree in front of him.

She nodded at his questions. "Oh, yes. It's an all night event. Everyone stays up and tells stories and dances. Children run through the streets. It's quite lively."

"Wow," Hinata breathed. Nighttime was supposed to be when mortals (and Hinata himself) rested. Not much really happened under the Night Court's domain. He'd always considered it to be a bit boring.

"That's not all," Yachi continued, and he was drawn back to her words. "They light thousands of lanterns throughout all the villages and towns. It's like they're trying to be like Yamaguchi's tapestry on earth! It's beautiful," she sighed. "The mortals always give more sacrifices to the weather gods so the skies will be clear on that night. So I've never gotten a  _ really  _ good look at it before. I would love it though…" She slipped off into thought.

Hinata tried to imagine the festivities in his head. Little children running and playing in the streets. Adults dancing or sitting and gossiping (Yachi said mortals like to do that a lot, apparently.) Hundreds of lanterns lighting up the village as if replicating his own light. 

The image he created in his head felt off. Lacking. Like it was a flat painting. He frowned.

What would it smell like? Or even what noises would he hear? Or - thinking deeper about it - what would it be like to stand in the middle of a crowd; among the hustle and bustle of mortals’ constant movement?

Yachi kept talking. "They stay up all night just to see you raise the sun on the next day. I think some people call it the Festival of the New Dawn sometimes-"

"I'm going to go," Hinata declared, the words suddenly spilling out of his mouth.

Yachi stared at him wide eyed, mouth agape. He was just as surprised as her to be completely honest. "You- you're going to visit earth? The mortals? Are gods allowed to do that?"

"Of course we are! We just don't do it often. Why go down ourselves when we can send one of you spirits to take a message for us?"

Yachi bit her lip. "Yes… that's true… but is it a good idea? Don't you have your duty to raise the sun?"

"Well, yeah... But think about it! It's the winter solstice. Longest night of the year. After I lower the sun, I can go down for a couple hours then come right back with more than enough time to raise it again the next morning!" He was getting excited. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this excited for something (other than Yachi's visits).

He spun on the wall and jumped off so he could pace on the balcony, Yachi twisted to watch him as he talked aloud to himself. "It's been a while since the last time I've been down to earth. I think I remember the way Suga taught me. Shouldn't be too hard…"

Yachi continued to watch him with wide eyes. "When you say it's been a while, how long do you mean?"

"Uh… a decade or two. Not really sure." He waved her question away. "You're going to help me, of course."

"Me?" She shrieked. "Oh, no. No no no no no!"

"But, Yachi!" He turned to her. "This'll be fun! All you have to do is lead me to the nearest village. You said you wanted to see the lights up close anyway, right?"

She hesitated. "Well… that's true… I just don't want to get in trouble…"

"Who's going to get us in trouble? If anyone asks - and who's going to ask, anyway - just say that you're on official business from me.

"Now!" He clapped, punctuating his statement. "Let's meet here just after sunset on the day of."

"Sun god-"

" _ Hinata." _

"... Hinata. I don't mean to step out of line when I say this… but… is it a good idea to walk among mortals as, well, yourself?"

He hummed. That was actually a good thought. He wanted to observe this Mortal festival as one of its participants. If he came as he was, celestial glory and all, that would ruin the atmosphere, turning the celebration into one of pleasing him, rather than one of - what had Yachi said it was for? - change and new life.

"Disguises," he said. "I'll go in disguise. I'll need more mortal-like clothes though. Can you get some?"

"I- yes."

He wasn't sure if at this point she was agreeing because she genuinely wanted to help, or because she felt she had to because of his godly status. Part of him didn't care either way. He was going to visit earth. Excitement bubbled in him until he felt like he could float away on the lightest breeze.

"Yachi, you're the best!" Their short time together was nearly up. "I'll see you next week! Don't forget!"

"I-I won't," she promised. Just like always.

* * *

The next few weeks seemed to crawl by. The days were getting shorter, but for Hinata it felt as long as the summer solstice. The hours dragged by, as if digging their heels in and refusing to move. It took all of Hinata’s willpower to not make those days any shorter than they already were. As if that would help bring the Festival closer.

Finally the night arrived. He lowered the sun beneath the horizon, the brilliant warm colors of sunset fading into the cool darkness of night. It was time.

He slipped onto the balcony, shutting the door behind him. Yachi stood nervously next to the wall they sat on during their weekly chats. On the ground next to her sat a small woven basket.

He grinned and waved, before running a few steps to greet her.

"You have the stuff?"

She nodded and lifted her basket onto the ledge, then dug through it, producing plain clothes. Dark brown pants; a loose, homespun shirt; and a pair of boots with heavy soles. 

She turned to give him privacy while he changed. He shrugged out of his robes. They were made by the wind attendants from any cloth offerings he was given; his entire wardrobe was filled with a rainbow of colors, each sewn with intricate patterns of sunbursts. He unclasped the gold cuffs adorning his wrists and slipped off the few rings that adorned his fingers. All this he folded and placed into Yachi's bag. Lastly, he removed his headdress.

It was made in the form of a circlet. While plain and undecorated in the front - nothing more than the curve of the metal - in the back, the design fanned out above his head, mimicking the rays of the sun poking just above the horizon. Inlaid with the finest of jewels, it was the finishing touch on his image as the sun god.

Hinata laid it carefully among the rest of his clothes and turned to the ones Yachi gave him. They were comfortable and much easier to walk around in. The mortals might be onto something. 

He huffed after pulling on the pants. With a sigh, he tugged the ends so they'd come up over his feet and rolled them several times until they were the perfect length.

Finished, he stood. "Yachi!"

She started and turned to him. "Are you done?"

He nodded. He bounced on his feet, eager to leave.

Yachi bit her lip. "Just follow me, ok?"

"No problem!"

Her human form softened, becoming more distilled until she was a simple white cloud.

Hinata followed her lead. It'd been a while since he'd done this and usually he had Suga to guide him, but he managed to transform into another form that would be easier to travel in. 

They fell to earth. Yachi in her cloud form, Hinata trailing after her as a bright burst of sunlight. To any outside observer, he appeared as a comet falling to earth among the backdrop of stars and constellations.

They landed on the outskirts of the village and shifted back to their human forms. It was easier this time, hardly took more than a moment.

Hinata peered around the corner of the building they hid behind and caught his breath. It was barely nightfall and already the winding streets of the village were alight with the warm glow of lanterns.

Some flickered from the windows of wooden homes. Others hung from the posts and rooftops, swaying slightly in the breeze. A group of children ran by, small, orbular ones clutched against their chests while they shouted at each other.

Hinata watched with wide eyes. This was amazing. Far better than he ever imagined. And he hadn't even fully entered the village!

He stepped out from around the corner. He wanted to get a better look-

"Ah! Hinata, wait!"

He paused, one foot in the air, to stare at Yachi.

She held her hands out in panic. "I forgot to get you a coat!"

He hadn't noticed the cold at all. His skin faintly glowed with the heat he gave off, naturally keeping him warm. The snow around his feet had melted into a puddle.

"Oh… I don't need it. But, thanks!"

"No, but it's the dead of winter! What do you think the mortals will think if they see someone walking around with no coat on?"

She had a good point.

He waited as she quickly weaved him a temporary coat of clouds, stealing glances at the village as music and voices echoed from the main square. 

Finally she handed it to him, "here-"

He grabbed it and took off, throwing back a quick "thanks!" as he pulled it on. It was warm and comfortable. She'd done a good job making it in such a short time. He'd be sure to thank her properly later. But he'd been waiting weeks to see this Festival and nothing was going to stop him now!

He bolted down the streets and alleyways. Always heading towards the center of the noise.

He saw other mortals walking down the streets. It was so strange to see them in the flesh. He'd most likely received prayers and offerings from all of them at some point or another. Perhaps even daily! And they didn't even know he was here among them! It sent a secret thrill up his spine.

He bounded out of another alleyway and nearly crashed into another pair of mortals.

"Whoa there, kid," the man laughed, extending a hand to grab Hinata's shoulder and steady him. His brow wrinkled as he caught sight of Hinata’s face, confusion spreading across it. Then he blinked and shook his head. "Slow down there. Where's the fire?"

"What fire?"

"That's what I'm asking you!" He laughed. "Slow down alright? You don't want to run out of energy before it's even midnight."

Hinata beamed. "Won't be a problem!"

Whoa! He's talking to a mortal! This was so cool!

"Ha! You kids always say things like that but I bet you'll drop long before dawn." He chuckled and waved his hands. "Go find your friends and burn off all that extra energy with them. Or make yourself useful and go help distribute lanterns."

Hinata nodded and stumbled away. 

Huh. Friends? The mortal called him 'kid'." Did he think Hinata was a child? What a funny thought! 

He dashed off again. Behind him he could hear the mortal laugh and mutter, "ha, kids these days…"

He entered the main square. Off on one side, a few wooden tables and benches were set up piled high with food and other goodies. A steady stream of people brought more plates and platters with hot meats and breads. The rich smell made Hinata's mouth water. In one corner, some musicians tuned their instruments. There weren't any dancers in the cleared area to the side, but a pair of small children held hands and spun in circles singing a rhyme that Yachi had taught him once.

He crept along the sides of the square, his eyes drinking in every detail he could. As the minutes passed by the square filled up until it seemed like everyone had arrived.

That’s when the music started.

Hinata watched with wide eyes as they danced. It was messy and uncoordinated at times but the mortals were smiling and laughing as they did so. He swayed in place, shuffling his feet to the beat of the music.

He ached to join. But he didn’t know the steps.

An older woman nudged him forward. When he glanced at her, she laughed. “You’re so antsy you might as well get in there.”

He faltered to the edge of the dancers, trying to copy their movements. A few of them smiled at him and then he was yanked into their circle.

* * *

Time blurred and stretched. Song after song played, each more lively than the last and Hinata found himself swept up with the others in dancing. Then there was a short pause and he was stumbling to the tables of food, cheeks ruddy from the exertion and feet aching from constantly moving. 

He stuffed his face. Tender meat and sugary pastries practically melted in his mouth. All of it helped down by cool water.

Off to one side, several adults poured a golden brown liquid from a large barrel. Their mouths stretched wide in grins and occasional bursts of wild laughter escaped their lips.

Hinata perked up. He wanted to try some of that.

He grabbed his cup and made his way over, squeezing between two of them to put it under the spout. He no sooner had when someone grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him back.

"Wha' you th'nk you're doin', kid?" The man barked, his words sloshing together like the drink in his cup. He tossed him out of their protective circle around the barrels. "There's always one of you tryin' to pull a real sneaky ev'ry year."

When Hinata continued to stand there, he pushed him back to the other tables. "You can have anythin' from ov'r there. When you're old'r you can share a drink w'th us old drunks."

The other men laughed and applauded. Some shouting slurred agreements or comments about letting Hinata try a sip of 'alcohol' to see if it would really agree with him.

So he wasn't allowed to have the drink because he looked young? What kind of measurement was that? He was older than all of them combined and then some. His head tilted in confusion, but returned to the other tables as he'd been directed to. Mortal rules were strange, but he'd abide by them for the night he supposed.

He let it slide and grabbed a meat bun to munch on. Soon enough the band was playing again and he grabbed one last pastry to shove in his mouth before he was back out on the dance floor.

The moon was high in the sky when the energy of the festivities dipped.

More people sat on benches. Some sat directly in the dirt, not caring that they were getting their clothes dirty. The band set down their instruments and shuffled to the food table to get the.selves something to eat.

Hinata fell onto his own seat with a sigh. He wiped at his brow with one of his bare arms. He'd abandoned the coat Yachi made for him… somewhere. His memories were blurry of when exactly. Some of the other mortals had tossed their own coats away when their exertion had warmed themselves against the chill and Hinata had followed their lead.

His breath puffed out like little clouds and he looked up. It was a full moon tonight. It hung in the sky like a giant lantern; much like the ones that filled the rest of the village. 

"Hinata!" A voice hissed behind him.

He turned. Yachi leaned out from between two buildings and anxiously waved at him, glancing at the other mortals wandering in the square. He didn't know what she was so worried about, but he stood and joined her.

"Yachi! It's been a while since I last saw you! Did you try the meat buns? They're amazing!" Now he was craving them again.

"No," she shook her head, voice strained. "Shouldn't we leave now? It's past midnight and we were only supposed to be here a few hours…" Her eyes cut to his shirt. "Where's your coat?"

He shrugged then rubbed the back of his neck. "Dunno… I might've misplaced it."

She sighed and formed some wisps of water to begin weaving again. "As I was saying: shouldn't we be going? You have to raise the sun in a few hours and this has been fun, but I want to sleep for a few hours before I have to make snow clouds tomorrow or whatever it is the weather gods have planned for tomorrow."

Hinata hummed, watching her fingers work quickly. "You can go. I want to stay for a little longer."

"Won't you need help finding your way back?" Her lips pinched in worry.

"Don't worry, I can do it! I'll remember the way back."

"But still…"

"C'mon Yachi, I'm a god. I think I can find my way home."

She mumbled something about having to lead him here in the first place but Hinata decided to ignore that part. Finally she handed over his new coat which he pulled on to please her if nothing else.

She sighed. "Please promise me that you'll leave soon."

"I'll leave before dawn. I promise." He not so subtly changed the agreement to. "Don't worry," he added when she frowned. "I'm always on time!"

She didn't look like she believed him, still hesitating. From the square someone began speaking. Hinata's head swiveled as he was drawn to the commotion.

Yachi tried to get his attention one last time, " sun god…"

He waved her off, walking back to the square. "Don't worry about it."

He didn't look back to check if she really left. It was like there was a string tugging him back to the crowd of people and to sit wide eyed and they joined in song; singing in their regional dialect.

Mortal songs were beautiful, Hinata decided.

So many of them involved death. A human's life was short after all. But even though their lifespan was so short compared to a god, it burned like a match: a hot, vibrant flicker for a brief moment before it was extinguished in a curl of smoke.

Despite that brevity, mortals did so  _ much _ with their lives. Grow. Learn. Love. Family. Friends. Teach.

_ How did they do it _ , Hinata wondered.  _ Even when they knew that in the end it was pointless. They still died. _

The songs died out, replaced by stories told in the flickering light of hundreds of lanterns. Children huddled close to parents, eyes drooping and mouths stretched in yawns as they fought off sleep. The moon began to lower into the horizon.

The mortals stood. Tired, but eager, and walked. Trancelike in his wonderment, Hinata followed.

They stood at the edge of town where the buildings wouldn't block the view and faced east. Then, they waited.

Yamaguchi's tapestry faded from above them. The star god wrapped up his loose silver and deep blue threads to store until the next night.

Behind them the moon finally disappeared.

Everyone held their breath in anticipation.

A minute passed.

Then another.

Nothing.

People began shuffling their feet, straining their necks to look over the people in front of them.

"Where's the sun?" Someone asked. It spread like wildfire. Neighbors turned to neighbors.

_ "Where's the sun?" _

_ "Shouldn't it be here by now? _

_ "Has the sun god abandoned us?" _

It was only when a man - perhaps the village chief - fell to his knees in supplication that Hinata finally realized.

_ Oh… wait. I'm supposed to raise the sun. _

His eyes widened and he turned and began shoving through the crowd. A couple people cried out as he stepped on toes and nearly knocked others over. He didn't stop. Not caring if he was causing a commotion. As soon as he slipped free, he bolted.

He ran like his life depended on it. As soon as he was far enough away he changed back into his light form and blasted upwards, nearly passing the Sky Palace in his panic.

He didn't bother changing back into his regular robes; he flung open the balcony doors and ran through the hallways.

He slid into his workroom, already grasping at the threads to hoist the sun. He pulled it a little too fast. It jerked over the horizon, rather than climb smoothly, and suddenly flooded the world below with light.

_ This was fine. He was only late by a few minutes. Nobody would even notice. _

He settled back into his routine. He moved the sun as he was supposed to, lifting and manipulating its arc across the sky.

He hummed one of the songs he'd heard on earth. A jaunty tune that kept his foot tapping as he worked. His mind was consumed by thoughts of a moonlit festival and an unexplored world down below.


	2. A Stranger in the Night

The sound of metalworking was soothing for Kageyama.

The beat of metal striking metal. A whoosh of the bellows, fanning the forge a few paces away. The low crackle of flames as he stirred the coals. The loud hiss of hot metal into the pail of water at his feet.

It was a rhythm he was intimately familiar with. The only kind of music his ears could make sense of.

He wasn’t one for traditional music or the dances that accompanied them - his feet too often tripped over the easiest of steps, his cheeks darkening in embarrassment - but in the forge he was in his element. No longer were his feet clumsy; he weaved among the tables and anvils with grace. Muscle-taunt arms lifted the heaviest of tools with ease and wielded them with the delicacy of a fine paintbrush, creating the smallest and most ornate patterns in the entire city.

And Kageyama danced.

He lifted a pair of metal tongs, eyes narrowing in concentration on the section he was working on. Carefully, he pinched the ends into the red, glowing iron. He’d have to be fast or the metal will be too cooled to do this next part.

He adjusted his grip. Now!

In one fluid motion, he pulled. The thick piece of iron stretched like the taffy sold during festivals, narrowing at the base while the end remained rounded. He released the tong’s hold, his other hand automatically reaching for the pair of heavy shears in a can of water next to him.

A couple snips later, he had a couple more smaller sections to work with. 

By now the iron was too cool. It would have to be set in the forge again if he wanted to do more with it.

He rose from the bench. There had once been a time when he’d gotten impatient at the slow process and the constant reheating and cooling of metal. Now it was a comforting cycle.

He stepped close to the furnace window. The heat blasted out at his face in waves, blowing his hair back. Sweat poured from his hairline and into his eyes while he set his project inside. Then he stepped back for a quick repreve.

The rest of the workshop was silent. Usually there were five or six other metalshapers here as well, but they had long since left. Back to wives and children with open arms. A warm meal and a warm bed. 

Kageyama had none of that. He ate pieces of bread between reforgings and continued hammering out his latest project. Dancing to his lonely tune.

His project should be about ready again. Kageyama dabbed at his face and neck with his towel then slung it back over the back of his chair as he headed back to the forge. This cycle he continued stretching and separating the different sheets, rounding the edges and curling them outward.

Finally, it was beginning to take a basic shape.

He smiled. Just a couple more cycles of reforgings then he’ll leave it for the night, he thinks. That should give him enough of a base to get started on tomorrow.

The door to the forging room creaked open and he stiffed in his chair. Was it that late already?

The heavy footsteps of none other than the Head Metalshaper himself stopped behind him. Kageyama didn’t dare turn around but he could practically see Ukai’s disapproving face and folded arms.

“So... you’ll be going home ‘soon’, right?” he deadpanned.

“I was just finishing up,” Kageyama said. He turned in his chair. “I was working on something important.”

Ukai hummed, his skepticism clear as he considered the openly roaring forge. “Right. Just like how you are every night.” He sighed, rubbing his neck. “I appreciate the enthusiasm for the job, kid. But you’re working yourself down to the bone. Taking a few days off to relax won’t kill ya.”

Kageyama tried to temper his irritation at being treated like a child. Just because he was the youngest metalshaper in the whole city didn't mean he should be treated any less than the others. He didn’t completely manage to keep the emotion off his face, though he tried to keep his words even. “You know I’m your most skilled Shaper, right,” he scowled. He grabbed his forge’s shovel and began shoveling the coals around, each thrust punctuating his words. “I’m the only one that can do all the fine details that the temples ask for.”

“I never said you couldn’t,” Ukai responded evenly. “I’m just saying there’s more to life than being chained to a forge from dawn to dusk. Past dusk, actually. It’s the middle of the night!”

“So? I’ve worked later than this?”

Ukai facepalmed. Kageyama didn’t understand. He had the energy, the inspiration, what could possibly be wrong with that?

After a long, silent moment Ukai fixed him with a stare. “Go home before I officially lose my mind.”

“I still have to put away my tools and the forge-.”

His boss waved his argument away and gripped Kageyama’s shovel just below where his hands rested. “I’ll take care of it. Get going. I don’t want to see you again until tomorrow.”

“But-”

“Great gods,” Ukai grumbled. “Go home and sleep right now or you won’t set foot in here again tomorrow.”

Kageyama paused, eyes narrowing. Would Ukai actually go that far to make him leave?

The answer was yes. Eventually Ukai managed to wrestle the shovel away from him and kick him out of the building with the admonishment that he didn’t want to see him again until tomorrow. After dawn. Preferably.

Kageyama shoved his hands into his coat and started the long walk back to his apartment across the city. The wintery night chill was a welcome contrast to the heat he’d been succumbed to all day. While others would huddle into upturned collars and pull hats tight over their ears, Kageyama lifted his head up and breathed deeply.

His footsteps were light on the cobblestones. No one was out on the streets this late. Tsukishima’s moon hung overhead, its light dulled by the curve of its waning cycle. It’d be a new moon in a few more nights. Not that Kageyama particularly cared, but he supposed he should technically be lighting a candle for Yamaguchi that night.

Mental note: check if he needed to buy more candles.

He turned out of the artisan district and headed straight towards the boardwalk. It would be faster to go that way, though the wet iciness coming off the ocean would definitely change his mind about liking the cold.

On the way he passed the local temple of the sun.

Just like every night for the past two weeks, they had fires roaring in the courtyard. A desperate show of devotion to their god after the events of the Festival of Beginnings. Kageyama hadn’t witnessed it himself - he had been working at the time - but it was all people could talk about.

_ The sun, for the first time ever, rose late _ .

Anxiety of it happening again was easily spread. Did they do something wrong in the eyes of the sun god? Was this a sign of worse things to come? If the sun could waver, then what other gods would fail as well?

Numbers of sacrifices increased. Kageyama received orders for household statues and other worshipping charms by the dozens. 

If the apocalypse was looming, at least he was getting good business.

He reached the boardwalk. Down below he could see the faint glimmer of ocean waves against the shore and hear the creaking of ships in harbor as they bobbed up and down. At this time of year, the sand was slick with ice, making it appear like one large white sheet.

He continued his walk, occasionally looking out towards the ocean. Kageyama couldn’t see anything clearly past the tide, but it gave him something to look at other than the dozen or so bars and pubs that lined the boardwalk, ready for any crews of sailors that came through.

It was during one of those half interested glances that he saw it.

No, not it.

A person.

There was a person walking along the beach.

Kageyama blinked, sure that his mind was playing tricks on him. What kind of person would walk along the beach at this hour at this time of year? Maybe Ukai was right. He needed to get more sleep.

But, no. They were still there. Innocently stepping over the frozen ridges the tides created as they cycled in and out. There they bent over, as if taking a closer look at something in the sand.

Kageyama stopped. It had to be a tourist _. _ No local would be crazy enough to do that kind of thing.

_ Respect the ocean _ . It was something that had been drilled into every kid’s head since they were born.

_ Respect the ocean. It is not something to be played with. _ Kageyama had seen the disastrous effects of when someone didn’t take the dangers seriously. Drownings because someone went for a swim at the wrong time or place. Ships limping into harbor after storms nearly tore them apart; the crew skeleton-like from the horror of it all. Riptides; monsoons; whirlpools; sea creatures that dragged you into the depths.

Those were the things you got used to in a port city.

“Hey!” Kageyama shouted, his voice echoing down the wall and across the water. “You shouldn’t be down there!”

The figure straightened in flash. Their posture turning to look up at him. He couldn’t see their expression, just their dark outline.

A pause. An arm raised… then waved? Cheerfully, the tourist continued on their merry way, walking closer to the shore line.

Kageyama ground his teeth. This really wasn't the time for a stroll. Much less on the beach where they could get wet and catch hypothermia.

He wavered. His apartment wasn't too far from here. It was late and it was none of his business what a tourist decided to do in the wee hours of the morning. He could be home and in bed in only a few minutes if he left now.

But…

If the tourist continued to be stupid… 

Kageyama growled, storming over to the nearest stairs down to beach level, his conscious weighed a little too heavily on him to just leave without making sure the tourist knew the potential danger they were in.

His boots crunched through the frozen sand, the top layers of ice splintering in half like thin twigs. He kept his eyes focused on the tourist and shot straight at them. They were at the water's edge now, their feet meters away from the crashing waves. It didn't seem to bother them when water was sprayed in their face. What was even stranger was that they had their shoes in their hands, but still wore a coat.

_ What _ .

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" he called over the waves. He didn't bother trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. He'd make this quick, then leave.

The tourist startled, turning to look at him with wide eyes and Kageyama paused. It was a boy roughly the same age as him from what it looked like. Though quite shorter.

His eyes seemed to glow like beacons in the darkness. Wild orange hair curled like flickering fire upon his head. Despite it being the dead of winter, his skin was dark and tanned. Kageyama found himself somewhat transfixed. Wow… he really wasn’t from around here was he? He blinked, realizing he had been staring.

"Oh… is there a…" the boy paused a moment, as if fishing for the right word. "A law? Yes, a law against that?"

Kageyama furrowed his brow. That's a weird question. "Uh… no," he responded. "But you shouldn't be out here at this time of night."

"Why?"

"Because it's dangerous?" Why did he say that as a question? The way the boy was staring at him was making him feel uncomfortable.

"Dangerous how?"

Kageyama felt a flash of irritation at the line of questioning. This was common sense stuff! Where was this guy from if he thought taking a stroll in the middle of the night with no shoes on was a good idea.

"The ocean for one,” he said. “The tides can change at any moment; drag you out to sea and drown you.” The boy tilted his head, still looking unconcerned. Kageyama slipped a little mocking into his tone. “Drown you. You do know the meaning of drowning right?”

Now it was the stranger’s turn to look annoyed. The first sign of emotion other than vague confusion. “Of course I know what it means."

"And even if you don't drown, the cold will kill you long before that." He scowled as he remembered his other point. "You shouldn't play around the ocean. Especially at night."

"Because you might drown." Not a question. The stranger was learning at least.

Kageyama nodded, "that, and it's not very respectful to treat it so casually. Kiyoko gives us a lot of the substance we need so it's best to stay in her favor."

The stranger hummed thoughtfully, eyes skimming to the water behind him. "I don't think she'll mind anyone enjoying her waves," he said, voice sure. "She's not one to get angry over stuff like that."

Kageyama squinted. What was he even talking about? Actually, he didn't want to know. The boy was already crazy enough as it was. Kageyama didn't need anymore of it in his life. Which reminded him of his next point-

"Why aren't you wearing shoes? You're going to get frostbite."

The stranger glanced down at the shoes in his hand. “Oh... I wanted to feel the sand.” he smiled.

"Well, put them back on! Do you have a death wish or something?"

The stranger didn't answer his question, but thankfully, put his shoes back on, which at least gave Kageyama some piece of mind. Before he did so, however, Kageyama caught a glimpse of his feet. He was expecting to see blue - bordering on purple - toes, but they seemed completely fine. The patch of sand the boy stood in was completely devoid of ice too, in fact.

Again, weird, but he shrugged it off. It was late and he was tired.

A larger than normal wave crashed against the beach, spraying cold droplets onto them. Kageyama shivered. Now he'd really like to get home.

"Let's go. You shouldn't be walking around at night if you're from out of town. Do you have a place to stay?"

The boy tilted his head slightly, looking for all the world like a confused puppy. "I'll be leaving soon, so, no, I don't need one."

"Ok, but you still need a place for the night," Kageyama responded. He sighed. "I'll point you to an inn. Just… follow me."

They walked side by side back to the stairs that would lead up to the boardwalk. They boy had an annoying pep in his step that made Kageyama's teeth grind. Where was he getting all that energy from? Not only that, but he kept swiveling his head around to look at this or that like he'd never seen a clump of seaweed before. He grabbed his arm and pulled him away from it, ignoring the weird whine the boy made. It was seaweed. Nothing new or special about that.

The boy pouted for a moment but then turned his attention to something else again. Short attention span too. Kageyama was finding him more irritating by the minute.

"Do you have a name?" the boy asked suddenly.

Kageyama nearly halted in his tracks. He glanced down. Bright eyes like the molten gold he sometimes worked with burned into him.

"Uh… Kageyama," he answered before he really processed what he was saying. "And you are?" he shot back just as quickly.

This seemed to throw him for a loop cause it took a second for him to answer. "Fudo."

"Fudo," he repeated doubtfully. 

"You heard me! That's my name!"

Kageyama held his hands up in a gesture of peace, "Sure, Shorty."

"Hey, I'm not short!"

"I literally have to look down to see you."

Fudo glowered, mumbling something under his breath. Kageyama chuckled. It was his turn to be annoyed. Served Fudo right for being stupid.They climbed the stone steps back up to the boardwalk in silence. Kageyama swore the air felt a little warmer than earlier.

At the top of the stairs, he removed one of his hands from his pockets and pointed to the nearest sidestreet. "If you continue down that street until the third left, you should be able to follow the signs to an inn. If you get lost, just look for a sign with a seagull. You'll find it eventually."

"You're not coming with?" Fudo asked. 

"No.  _ I'm _ going home. Good luck with… well, whatever. Bye," he said stiffly.

Without further ado, Kageyama left. He only glanced back once, when he was at the end of the boardwalk and just turning onto the street towards where he lived. Fudo stood still and alone, his appearance that of a candle in a dark window; orange hair gleaming, outlined in his pure white coat.

Then he was gone. 

Kageyama shivered, the hint of warmth he thought he'd imagined snuffed out.

He put the encounter out of his mind. All sorts of travelers and tourists came through the city, each with their own brand of weirdness. This was no different.

He went to bed, wrapping himself in his blankets for a few hours of rest before he had to wake with the sun once more.

* * *

It seemed the night before was the straw that broke the camel's back. 

Usually Ukai didn't mind Kageyama staying for a couple extra hours after everyone else. Today he came over to the younger man’s workbench as everyone else was cleaning up for the day.

“Time to pack up, kid.” He grunted, leaning over to pick Kageyama’s bucket of water off the ground. “I know you’re all about working late but it’s not good for your health.” He poured the water into the nearby basin before setting it on a shelf with some of the others. He reached for the shovel leaning against the wall. “If you don’t start setting good habits now in your youth, they’ll carry through your entire life and you’ll end up like me.”

He smiled at his little joke, raking the coals around in the forge to start diluting the heat. With that done, he closed the forge window to cut off airflow. Sometime in the next hour it should cool completely. Satisfied, Ukai nodded to himself.

Kageyama sat at his workbench. He knew his boss wasn’t doing this out of any sort of malevolence but it still felt unfair somehow.

“Finish cleaning up,” he said, turning away to check on the other shapers. “The sun’s just about set so you should have enough time to get some dinner before it’s completely dark, then maybe you can spend time with other kids your age for once.”

Kageyama blinked. He glanced back at his project. Even with two full days of work it was nowhere close to being finished yet. He sighed. Guess he better do what Ukai said, if only so he wasn’t locked out of the forge like he’d been threatened.

Far too quickly he had all his tools neatly put away. All that was left was storing his current project. Carefully, he sorted all the small pieces into different bins. This was one of the most complicated pieces he’d done yet and involved so many different pieces it was hard to keep track of them all. 

The shaper on the workbench next to him waved. “Big project?”

He startled slightly, not expecting the man to talk to him. “Uh… yeah?”

If Kageyama’s hesitance bothered him, he didn’t show it. He just smiled. “I’m sure it’ll look great when it’s done. Well, see ya tomorrow, Kageyama. Take care of yourself!”

“... Bye.” 

Kageyama didn’t even know his name.

* * *

The sun was barely a sliver on the horizon when Kageyama left the forges. For a moment he paused, taking in the sunset. The warm copper orange of the sky haloed the molten metal of the sun as it poured itself into the mold of the horizon.

It’d been a long time since he’d seen a sunset. 

He was able to get a proper dinner from one of the nearby bakeries as well. The bread was no longer hot, but it was filling, and it gave his hands something to do as he walked home. 

He’d just shoved the last piece in his mouth, half on auto-pilot when he saw him.  _ The stranger from the other night _ .

He paused in the shadow of the tavern he was standing in. What was he doing back here? Kageyama dug into his memory for the name he’d been given. F-, Fu-, Fubu? No, that’s not quite right… 

_ Golden eyes. Hair like flickering flame. _

Ah. Fudo. That was it.

Fudo sat on the low wall of the boardwalk, legs swinging back and forth as he waved cheerfully at anyone who happened to be passing by. Obviously waiting.

Waiting for what though?

Or…

Waiting for him?

Kageyama shook his head with a scowl. Whatever the tourist wanted, he might as well get it over with so he can go home. He slipped out of the nook he’d been standing in and made his way over, his hands shoved deep into his pockets to protect from the chill.

Even from meters away, Kageyama swore he saw Fudo’s eyes flash for a brief moment as he caught sight of him. A smile crept on his face as he hopped down from his perch and made his way over, that annoying energy still going strong.

“Kageyama, is it?” Fudo asked, bright eyes boring into his own.

“Yeah,” he nodded, then turned the questioning back on him. “I thought you said you were leaving this morning.”

Fudo rocked on his heels. “Well… I did. But I’m back now.” He smiled.

Kageyama’s eyes narrowed. The nearest town was just over a day’s travel away. That meant Fudo would’ve had to have left, then turn right back around before the halfway point to make it back just after sunset. Along with that, he didn’t have any bags with him. Unless they were back at the inn.

_ Weird… _

“...Ok… Then why did you come back?”

Fudo shrugged. “I dunno. Just thought I’d stay for a little longer. I never really got to explore the city the first time around and I thought I should get a local to show me around.”

He glanced expectantly at Kageyama and the meaning finally sunk in.

“No,” he growled, shoving past the smaller boy who squawked indignantly. “I’m not your personal tour guide.”

“Why not?” Fudo asked. He had to take two steps for every one of Kageyama’s. “I think you owe me.”

“Owe you for what? Telling you not to play next to the ocean that could get you  _ killed _ ?  _ In the middle of the night? _ ”

“Oh, is this a thing about you needing your rest?”

“What?” Kageyama snapped, suddenly stopping in his tracks. “Are you even listening? The. Ocean. Will. Kill. You.”

Fudo tilted his head. “How can it kill me when I’m not in it?”

“Great Kiyoko, give me patience.” Kageyama struggled to reign in his temper. “ _ Listen _ . I know you're probably from out of the city and have never been near an ocean, but I’ll testify,  _ it is dangerous _ . You shouldn’t walk so casually by it either. You could get swept away at any second, or get frostbite because  _ someone _ isn’t wearing their shoes in the middle of winter.”

Fudo looked indignant at that last not-so-subtle jab. A hint of a frown touched his lips. “So you’re saying I  _ can’t _ do that?”

“Yes! Good gods, what kind of place are you from?” Kageyama wiped a tired hand over his face. He’d yelled a bit too sharply and it drew the attention of some passersby. “Sorry,” he continued a little softer. “I wish you luck with exploring. Just do it during the daytime so you don’t catch a cold or get robbed. Bye.”

Then he left. Again.

Fudo didn’t bother following him this time. And again, Kageyama glanced back only once. Fudo stood, stock still and thoughtful. 

Huh. Maybe it’d teach him to use his head in the future.

Whatever. Kageyama was sure he’d never see him again.

* * *

Fudo was back.

Kageyama hadn’t been paying attention and just walked out in the open where he could be seen, and suddenly a small figure was running right at him. 

Dammit he should change his route home.

He didn’t hide his irritated sigh, turning dark blue eyes down to the wide golden ones of Fudo. “What do you want now?”

Fudo straightened his back, pointing one demanding finger right in his face. “I want to play a game.”

“No.”

He moved past, not listening to Fudo’s noises of protest behind him.

* * *

Good gods, Kageyama was getting a headache. 

Fudo was back. Again.

This time the boy had been smart enough to hide himself in a sort of ambush, so it wasn’t until it was too late that Kageyama knew he was there.

“Why,” he said under his breath, “must you be so annoying?”

“What was that?”

“Nothing!” He glowered down at Fudo, whose happy go lucky attitude hadn’t faded one bit. He thought ignoring him would make him go away, but it had the opposite effect. It seemed to have made him  _ more _ determined.

He scrubbed his face with one hand. “What. Do you want.” he managed to bite out.

“I want to play a game with you.”

Kageyama’s eyes narrowed. “A game.” The same request as last time? And such a childish one at that.

“One game of tag. That’s all I ask.” Fudo smiled.

“No,” he repeated, circling around the other boy and continuing on his way.

Fudo ran in front of him and turned to walk backwards, Hands clasped behind his back. He was just far enough ahead of Kageyama that he couldn’t step on his toes. How annoying. “ _ C’mon _ . It’s just one game! Where’s your sense of fun?”

Kageyama huffed. That sounded like something Ukai would say. And Fudo did look to be his age…. He shook his head. “You need more than two people for Tag, dumbass. Where are we going to get more players from?” Like Kaeyama had any clue either.

Fudo slipped into thought for a second, a hand coming to his chin. Kageyama took the opportunity to try stepping on his feet so he’d get out of his way. Fudo was light on his feet, however, and dodged his stomping.

Suddenly, his eyes brightened, a smirk growing on his face. “No... we can still play with just the two of us. You’ll be ‘it’ and I’ll run.”

“That’s just a game of chase,” he shot back. “Not exactly Tag.”

“It’ll make do,” the orange haired boy shrugged. “And I’ll even make you a deal.” Kageyama’s eyes narrowed at that. “If you catch me, then I’ll leave you alone.”

This seemed far too convoluted of a plan when Kageyama could just change his route to avoid this weirdo-

“Unless you think you’d lose,” Fudo finished, a wide grin on his face.

And Kageyama couldn’t help himself.

“Oh yeah?” he growled. “I’ll show you.”

Fudo didn’t hide his delight, skipping a few steps away. “I get a ten second head start!” he called, already booking it for the nearest sidestreet.

Kageyama gave him five.

Fudo was annoyingly hard to catch; always ducking and weaving in the strangest of patterns. Kageyama thought with his longer legs, it'd be no problem to keep pace, but no matter how much he lengthened his strides or pushed himself, Fudo was always just out of reach.

He growled as he turned into a blind alley only to find nothing. Again. This was the third time!

He whipped around, already knowing despite seeing Fudo run into the alley, he'd always reappear back behind him. There! A flash of a white coat turning down another street. Kageyama ran in that direction. He was going to catch the dumbass, if for nothing other than his pride.

More side streets and alleyways. At one point, Kageyama's fingers were a hair's breadth from brushing Fudo's coat. He grinned. Finally this game would be over. Only for Fudo to put on a new burst of speed and turn sharply around another corner. His victory once again snatched away. Kageyama growled. Where was he getting all this energy from?

He panted, slowing his footsteps slightly. The streets were only lit by the spinning stars above. He should be home, lighting a candle. He’d even made sure to buy more in preparation for such. Instead he was running through the streets while everyone else slept.

His boots rang against the cobblestone beneath his feet. Distantly, a dog barked. A gentle breeze brushed against his forehead, cooling the perspiration that gathered at his hairline. Kageyama wiped at it now, taking a second to stop completely.

It was quiet and hushed for once in the city. So used to the strike of hammers on metal and the whoosh of flames; the noises of a bustling city creeping past the walls of the forge as a background tempo to work to. The silence was almost disconcerting. If he strained his ears he could almost hear the echoes of those noises.

His breath steamed in front of his face as he glanced down a fork in the street looking for which way Fudo went. He was tired and sweaty, his heart beating erratically, but for some reason, there were the embers of excitement beginning to glow in his chest; his lungs being the bellows that fanned them hotter and brighter.

He turned down one street at random. He'd long since lost which way Fudo went, so he wandered aimlessly. As he walked in the darkness his surroundings slowly grew more familiar until he realized that he was nearing the boardwalk once again. If Fudo had gone anywhere, he might've gone there.

He squeezed out of another alley, and now he was on the street that he usually took on his route home. The one past the temples. He didn't bother running anymore, content to just walk and take in the night. It was actually very pleasant. Other than it being the dead of winter, of course. Yamaguchi's stars swirled in constellations that Kageyama wasn't familiar with. There were those that did. His mother had, once upon a time. If he closed his eyes, he could almost hear her voice naming the different animals that roamed across the sky. A reflection of the creatures that lived on earth.

He sighed, opening his eyes. Yes, he remembered the names, but asking him to read where they were was as impossible as being able to touch the stars in the first place. 

One day he'd learn them, he mused. When… he wasn't so busy.

He was nearly at the sun temple when he saw someone.

Orange hair, white coat. Fudo. Of course.

The boy stood at street level like him, turned to stare upwards at the curl of smoke within the enclosed compound. From the distance, Kageyama couldn't read his face exactly, but he'd almost call it… fascinated. He didn't move, mesmerized by the barely visible clouds of smoke and rich smell of grilled meat and the occasional pop and flurry of sparks. 

Seeing his chance, Kageyama slowed his footsteps to a crawl, being careful how he placed his feet so as not to startle Fudo and restart their game. Closer, closer, closer…

"Ha!" His hand closed firmly on Fudo's shoulder, making him jump. Bright, startled eyes turned to look at him in surprise as if wondering how it was possible that he'd been caught. "Tag," Kageyama said smugly. 

"Oh…" Fudo said. His shoulders slumped, "I guess that means I have to leave." He sounded… sad? “A promise is a promise.”

Kageyama’s chest still heaved from the exertion of the chase; the adrenaline in his veins tapered, then stopped. 

He’d admit: Fudo was annoying. The boy was always asking him weird questions and refused to give him a second of peace, but… Kageyama was loath to admit he liked the company. The only other person who he talked to regularly was Ukai, and that’s only because the older man was his boss.

He could just see Ukai getting after him for not spending time with others his age. A… friend…?

Um...  No .

He grimaced and made a decision that he’d probably come to regret.

“You can stay.”

Fudo’s head snapped toward him.

“Someone has to make sure you don’t get yourself accidentally killed. Or that you don’t piss off some god.” Like Kiyoko, he added silently.

“You mean it?” Fudo’s eyes swam and it gave Kageyama pause. He was getting emotional over that?

“Well, yeah… you might be annoying and small-”

“Hey!”

“But, if you want to talk or-” he made a vague gesture, “I dunno. Do something in the evenings when I’m done working-”

“Yes!” Fudo burst out. He bounced slightly a broad smile on his face. Kageyama swore he was glowing a little, but that must just be the exhaustion playing tricks on his mind. “Yes,” he repeated a little softer. “I’ll be back. Every night.”

Sounded good to him.

“And Kageyama? Next time, I’ll win,” Fudo promised, eyes swirling with light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The best and only way to make friends is to annoy the shit out of each other.
> 
> Wow it took me a long time to actually write this up. I'll try to be a little faster with future chapters. :)


	3. Found Friendship

Hinata awoke to the taste of tears in his mouth and an unidentifiable ache in his chest. He sat up slowly. His thin sheets had been kicked to the end of his bed sometime during the night and he could feel a cool breeze make its way through his room. Outside it was still dark, though Tsukki’s moon hung low in the sky. He’d have to hurry to make sure the sun rose on time.

Even still, he hardly moved. One hand lifted to touch his cheek. As he suspected, it came back wet. He’d been… crying?

The action was entirely foreign to him. What did he even have to be sad about? He frowned, closed his eyes, and tried to remember what had made him feel this way. 

Vague images spun behind closed eyelids. Blurred faces and words. The more he tried to recall the details of them, the more they faded. All of it slipping just out of reach and leaving only a sense of loss and longing behind. A sentimental sadness.

_ Strange _ , he thought.  _ He'd never had a dream before. _

* * *

The days seemed to pass far too slowly for Hinata. Immortality may have granted him all the time in the world; but the sands of time dictated that it pass at a steady, yet excruciating, rate.

Logically, he knew part of it was his own doing. He was the one who raised and lowered the sun, after all. But, even that knowledge did little to curb his impatience for nightfall and it took every shred of self control he had to keep his pace steady. To not rush the arc of the sun to the onset of twilight so he could return back to Earth. He had a duty to maintain towards the mortals, and the annoyance Tsukki would cause at having to stretch his limited moonlight were good motivators to keep his hands steady on the strings. 

Even still, he found his mind wandering often.

The mortal world was just so… interesting! He'd already experienced and seen so much in the last few weeks, but always left wanting more.

It was unbelievable to think that hardly a few weeks ago, he'd dismiss those nighttime hours. Nobody was even awake! What was there even to do? Hinata had been content with leaving that realm to Tsukki and Yamaguchi and smugly thought daytime was better.

After going to the Festival of New Beginnings, that opinion changed. That curious seed flowered into full fascination and  _ he couldn't get enough _ .

In subsequent visits to Earth, he'd been delighted by nighttime creatures: an owl sitting in the branches of a tree, similar golden eyes meeting his own before flying into the darkness as silent and swift as a shadow. Other smaller critters were occasionally found on the ground and once he'd even caught sight of a herd of deer. 

There was Yamaguchi's tapestry, the beautiful swirls of stars set in blue-black sky. Everytime he looked up at them he felt the urge to hold onto something for fear that he'd suddenly fall upwards and be lost like a stone cast into a pond. He got along with his fellow god the rare times they interacted, but never had an appreciation for the work he did. 

Even Tsukki's work was one to behold. The moon was beautiful: a great shining opal in the sky that occasionally made him catch his breath. (Though Hinata wouldn't ever admit it to a particular god's face.)

His favorite part of Earth was the mortals, however. Yachi tried to steer him away from visiting any more villages ("Last time was a disaster!”), and made him half-heartedly promise to stay away. Roaming empty fields and silent forests wasn't the same. He wanted interaction. He  _ craved  _ it. Yachi said no villages. But… she hadn’t warned him against cities.

The chances of getting to interact with mortals after sunset were few and far between. Most were heading home at twilight or already drifting off to sleep by the time he arrived. It was frustrating, but he kept his optimism up. Then he met Kageyama-

Hinata narrowed his eyes, fingers tightening on the sun's strings as he shook himself out of his thoughts. He could feel time passing; he kept his gaze on the horizon in anticipation. Sunset was so  _ close _ . Only a few more minutes to go...

The sky drifted from orangy - pinks to a soft lilac - blue to a deep Violet and finally… there! The yellow curve of the sun dropped below the horizon and the world went dark. Right on queue, the moon began to swell on the opposite horizon, the height of Tsukki's waxing cycle and when he'd have the most energy. Yamaguchi followed not far behind.

Hinata grinned. Time to go.

It didn't take long to rush to his room and strip out of his fancy robes, practically sighing in relief as he put on his stolen mortal clothes and grabbing the coat Yachi made him to throw over his shoulders. He left straight from his bedroom. He had a gigantic, circular window overlooking the bank of clouds below. He grunted as he pulled it open, then climbed up onto the edge, tottering slightly as the wind blasted past him to swirl in his room. While the wind servants were annoying, they weren't so bold to attempt entering his private room during his hours of rest so his departure wouldn't even be missed.

Golden eyes flashed with excitement and he tipped off the windowsill. 

For a second he let gravity pull at him. His stomach bounced up into his lungs and he went weightless. Then he changed himself into a burst of light and arced towards his destination.

His transformations had gotten smoother with every new attempt. He had no physical stomach in this form, but if he did, it would bubble up into his throat both from the fall and the excitement. He was going back!

He arrived at the boardwalk quickly. He sat on the low wall separating the town from the sea and kicked his legs. Other mortals passed by - mostly older men - they rarely returned his waves or greetings. Hinata wondered if that was a shared mortal trait: suspicion of strangers. Even Kageyama refused to talk to him in the beginning.

He smiled, waving at another passerby. Kageyama had gotten over that soon enough, and didn't hesitate to speak his mind. Hinata liked that. 

Speaking of whom, Hinata recognized his tall, dark form turning the corner down the street. Knowing him, he probably had a bit of bread or cheese as a makeshift dinner - or even better - a hot meat bun.

He dropped off the wall as Kageyama drew close. In one hand he was eating the covered meat bun, just as Hinata had hoped for. In the other, he held a small bag. Presumably with more inside. Hinata's mouth began to water. His hand subconsciously reached out in a silent asking motion.

Kageyama smirked and held the bag up higher where Hinata would have to jump to reach it. He tore another piece of his meat bun off and chewed noisily, letting him know how good it tasted. Rude.

"I'll race you for those," Hinata offered. Other than the first night (which he didn't count) he always won. The meat buns would be his.

"No thanks," Kageyama replied, his grin widening. "I have a different idea."

Oh,  _ that _ piqued his interest. A new mortal game, perhaps? A new challenge?

He tilted his head curiously. "What?"

"A riddle."

"A riddle?" He repeated.

Kageyama rolled his eyes, then explained. "Like a trick question. One where it's intentionally confusing so it's like a puzzle. They're very hard - impossible - for most people." 

The way he said it made it clear that by 'most people', he meant Hinata.

He bristled at the implied insult. He was smart! He eyed the sack of meat buns. If these riddles were as hard as difficult as Kageyama said, then that'd be an easy win and Hinata would have to watch him mockingly eat his favorite mortal food. No… better to play it safe. 

Kageyama shook his head. "Nope. Riddle or nothing." His scary grin never left his face. "Unless you think you'll lose."

It was their challenge for competitions and now Hinata  _ had _ to do it 

"Alright," his face set in determination. "I'll answer your dumb riddle."

Kageyama grinned, paused to gather his thoughts, then said: "Never resting, never still. Silently moving from hill to hill. I do not walk, run, or trot, but all is cool where I am not."

_Never resting, never still?_ _Hill to hill_? _Something that doesn't walk?_

Hinata rocked back on his heels and tapped a finger to his chin. Kageyama was right. This was hard. He couldn't think of anything that fit. At least, not completely.

"You have thirty seconds."

"Hey, you didn't say anything about a time limit!"

Kageyama shrugged. "Then I guess you'll just have to hurry." Mercilessly, he shook the bag of meat buns and Hinata could hear them slipping around inside. He scowled and tried to focus.

_ Didn't walk…? _

"Wind!" he cried.

A shake of the head. "Nope. Try again. Twenty seconds."

"Clouds?" 

"No."

"A river!"

"No."

"Trees?" He asked a bit desperately.

"Do trees move?" Kageyama shot back.

Oh, right.  _ Moves from hill to hill _ .

Hinata pulled at his hair in frustration. Why was this so difficult? He swore the answer must be just in front of his eyes…

"Time's up," Kageyama called, fingers already digging in the bag. Hinata huffed and slumped in defeat. "That makes fifteen wins for me and-"

"Thirteen for me," he grumbled. Now that Kageyama had a gap in points, he'd have to be doubly careful to win the next couple competitions so he didn't pull too far ahead.

"Good luck next time, Fudo."

He pouted as the mortal shoved an entire meat bun in his mouth. "What was the answer?"

Kageyama chewed thoughtfully then swallowed. He licked some stray crumbs off his lips. "Just think about it, dumbass. It's not that hard."

Hinata groaned. No more riddles. Never again.

They walked to the other end of the boardwalk in companionable silence. Kageyama ate two more meat buns in quick succession. Hinata didn't necessarily need much nourishment on account of his immortality, but his stomach still groaned indignantly at having such a delicious scent so close, yet not being able to eat it. Kageyama reached for a third, the bag rustling beneath his fingers and Hinata looked away and out towards the ocean.

Kageyama still wouldn't let him walk along the beach because it was still so cold.  _ "Do that during the day,"  _ he'd said with a frown. " _ At least then there'd be more people around to help if something happens." _

Drowning, he meant. Death.

Mortals spoke so warily of the gods. Hinata didn't understand it. The cold and uncaring image of Kiyoko that Kageyama painted didn't line up with his own memories of her.

Kiyoko was known to be somewhat aloof, yes. But that was mostly due to her personality, not cruelness. The last time Hinata spoke to her - was it two or three decades ago? - her voice was soft and soothing, like gentle waves against the shore. She'd been silent during his rambles and offered insightful answers to questions. It made him feel like she really cared about what he said. Her smiles were rare, but when she did show them, they were bright and warm. Hinata had done his best to make her show it again and again-

"Here." A meat bun was shoved in his face. Hinata glanced at Kageyama, meeting dark blue eyes.

"...What?"

Kageyama shook it under his nose. "Just take it. Unless you want me to eat it." He pulled away slightly, impatience winning.

Hinata snatched it with eager hands and held it close to his mouth so he could take a deep whiff of the delicious smell before eating it with a ferocity unmatched. The meat melted in his mouth in a rich burst of flavor that made him groan. The bread was soft and buttery - together a simple, yet perfect combination.

It was gone far too quickly and Hinata wished he could have more. He would eat meat buns for the rest of eternity if he could.

He was licking the last remaining crumbs and grease off his fingers when he noticed Kageyama staring at him.

"What?" he asked, pulling his thumb out of his mouth with a slight pop. "Was I not supposed to eat it?"

"No, I got it for you. Just…" some unreadable expression flickered across his face. "Are you staying at that inn I told you about?"

It took a second for him to recall the one he was talking about.

" _ Oh _ . No. I've been somewhere else," he said. "Thanks for telling me about it though. I'll have to visit it sometime."

Kageyama's eyebrows furrowed. Quite a funny expression for him. "Are you at a different inn then?"

"No."

"I thought you were from out of town?"

"I am." Hinata didn't like where this was going. Why was the mortal asking so many questions?

Now Kageyama's eyes narrowed. "So where have you been staying?"

"Oh, umm… just out of town?"

"Out of town  _ where _ ?"

"Nearby out of town," Hinata said vaguely. He didn't know what exactly he'd done that made Kageyama suspicious. Was it because he wasn't staying in the inn? Mortals lived in houses, right? Was he supposed to live in a house too? Was the Sky Palace big enough to be considered a house?

Whatever was happening, he needed to change the subject.

"Fudo-"

"You know, it's rude to eat so much in front of others," he interrupted, poking Kageyama's side. "Next time you better share more. You don't need  _ five _ meat buns."

It did the trick and Kageyama's concern morphed into irritation.

"You can just be thankful, dumbass! Next time I'll eat them all myself and not share any with you."

"Good! Cause I could eat all of them on my own and still have room for more!"

"As if you can eat as much as me," he shot back.

"Then prove it," he threw back just as quickly, a sharp grin on his face. "Don't assume I can eat less just because I'm shorter than you."

The flames of competition were once again fanned to life and this was one Hinata was certain he'd win. As a bonus, he avoided Kageyama's suspicion.

* * *

“You seem happier,” Yachi said suddenly.

Hinata paused abruptly, gold eyes looking at her in surprise. She immediately paled and sunk into a low bow.

“I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t mean it like that-”

“It’s fine,” he interrupted with a dismissive laugh and wave of the hand. “I like it when you speak freely anyway.”

She nodded hesitantly, small cloudy wisps floating around her nervously. It was a cute habit that she didn’t seem to notice she was doing.

Hinata smiled, hoping to ease her worries and resumed the story he had been telling her. The one where he lost Kageyama’s challenge to roll the biggest snowball. The cold, white power just kept melting beneath his hands, no matter how much he tried to dim his natural heat.

Slowly, Yachi relaxed again, weaving her clouds absently between her hands and listening to his tales from Earth. A far change from what their meeting used to be like. Where he would hang onto every detail she managed to dig up. Now he was the one supplying the stories.

Still her statement kept ringing in the back of his mind. Long after she’d left and he’d lowered the sun below the horizon. Even when he’d slipped back into the Sky Palace after another freezing evening with the raven haired mortal and he was wrapped in the velvet sheets of his bed.

It clung to him. Like moss to a tree.

_ You seem happier. _

* * *

“Here, take this.”

Hinata fumbled as Kageyama suddenly tossed a bundle of cloth at him. He only just managed to catch it and turned it over in his hands. It was rough spun and drab compared to the bright, royal quality that was found amongst the gods. 

As he explored it more, he realized it wasn’t just a bundle of random cloth, but clothes. Just like the ones he was wearing. He tilted his head, glancing up at Kageyama with a clear question in his eyes.

The mortal boy coughed and turned his head. “You’re always wearing those stupid, old clothes. You should actually wear something decent for a change.”

“Wow, thanks Kageyama,” Hinata breathed. He ran his hands over the new clothes. They were definitely better quality than the mortal disguise he was wearing currently. There weren’t any faded areas or patches on the knees. He was tempted to just change into them right then. Would he look more in place? Like Kageyama and the other mortals?

His grin stretched as wide as it could as he pressed the gift closer to his chest. As a god, he’d received multitudes of gifts. Everyday in fact. It’d be more than he ever knew what to do with even with all of eternity before him.

To be honest, this hardly compared to them. How could it? Homespun cloth dyed a rough black.

But… this was the first gift he’d received directly. Handed, face to face. Not burned in a sacrificial fire to appear in one of his many rooms in the Day Court for the wind servants to sort out. 

Given to him - not because he was a god - but for  _ him _ .  _ Hinata _ . Nothing more.

Hinata would treasure it above the gold and silks and works of art that numbered amongst his sacrifices.

“Thank you,” he repeated. A pressure was building behind his eyes and he blinked rapidly. His chest felt so warm and full he almost wondered if he was melting. He lifted his head to meet Kageyama’s eyes. “I’ll keep it forever.”

Kageyama had a strange, closed off expression on his face. He twitched. “You’re welcome.”

Hinata smiled, bundling it together under one arm. Maybe he should get a bag like Kageyama? It would certainly make carrying things easier, he mused.

“I should get something for you too,” he said. “It’s only fair. A gift for a gift. What do you like?”

He had a vast collection. It shouldn’t be too hard to find something the mortal would like. Hinata grew excited at the thought. Maybe he could get the boy to smile? That made his chest even warmer at the thought.

Kageyama rubbed his head. “It’s fine. I don’t need anything,” he murmured. 

“Aw, c’mon, Kages.” Hinata insisted. “What do you do during the day? Or do you just sit around and stare at the wall?” He chucked at the thought.

“I’m usually at work,” he said simply, looking away. Hinata leaned forward. That was unexpected. He thought only the old mortals had to work. And besides, Kageyama had never mentioned it before. How it had never come up in conversation was a mystery.

“Doing what?” Hinata prompted.

“I’m one of the city’s metalshapers at the Shio forges. I usually make artwork for temples and some of our other wealthy patrons.”

An artist? Hinata briefly wondered how many decorative pieces of art lining his rooms and hallways were made by his hands. And a metalshaper… He was pretty sure he had some gold or other metals hidden away somewhere…

Mind set, he nodded to himself. He was sure Kageyama would love to get some new materials to work with. Maybe some jewels as well? Hinata wasn’t sure exactly what he’d like, so he’d just fill a bag and offer him that.

“What are you working on now?” He asked to keep the conversation going.

“Oh, just something for one of Kyoko’s temples. It’s the biggest project I’ve worked on yet, actually.”

Hinata did his best to shove down a flare of jealousy. He almost wanted to order Kageyama to make something for  _ him _ . But, he knew that probably wouldn’t go so well. Mortals had a funny habit of never doing what they’re told to.

“What about you? What do you do during the day?”

He froze. How  _ was _ he supposed to explain raising the sun everyday? He wracked his memory desperately. What were some of the mortal things Yachi had told him?

Kageyama’s eyes were drilling into him. They narrowed. “Fudo-”

“Temari!” Hinata interrupted. It was the first thing he could think of.

A pause. “You make… temari?”

“Yes,” he beamed to hide his complete lack of knowledge. “They’re really cool. Uh, I’ve been told that my hands are really steady when I’m working.”

That wasn’t a lie. Suga  _ had _ complimented him on his delicate maneuvering of the sun.

That seemed to be the right answer. Kageyama’s face relaxed. “I didn’t know they were so in demand,” he murmured.

“Well, you gotta give the people what they want, right?” In a move that Hinata will come to regret he burst out, “I could make one for you.”

This time Kageyama openly stared. His mouth opened and closed a couple times as he tried to find words. Hinata cringed. Did he say something wrong again? Yeesh. Trying to understand the nuances of mortal culture was so hard-

“I- Thank you, Fudo,” he finally managed. “I would appreciate that very much.”

Hinata tilted his head. It was the softest he’d ever heard the mortal’s voice. How did he change his temper so drastically with one offering? 

In the darkness, he caught a hint of a smile on Kageyama’s face. It was very subtle. Just the upturning of lips at the corners, but it was enough.

Once again, that warm feeling pressed against the inside of his chest. It wasn’t painful, though. It was almost like…

_ Light _ .

* * *

Hinata slipped between another stack of sacrifices. At his side, a small bag clunked at his side, filled to the brim with as many bars of metals and jewels he could find. He’d melted several pieces of jewelry to get some of those, so he hoped Kageyama liked them.

Finally, he reached the door to the room. He cracked it open slightly, one eye peering out as he held his breath to listen for any servants. Hearing none, he rushed out and speed walked back to his room. 

He let the objects he found tumble out and onto the bed. A couple gold bars. A few silver. Dozens of rubies and diamonds. He placed his hands on his hips. Yep this was perfect. He wrapped the precious items back up and moved to the wall.

At about head height was an intricately decorated safe. It was one of the few places that the wind servants couldn’t poke their noses into and was the hiding spot for the rest of his mortal trinkets he’d collected. He placed Kageyama’s gift next to the clothes he’d received. For a second he let his hand brush over them - a warm feeling arose each time he did. Then he shut and locked the door. 

Now onto his other task. He grabbed the other objects he’d found off the bed and once again headed out.

He didn’t encounter any servants on his way, which was good. They weren’t as active at this time on his side of the Sky Palace. Though that would be a different story for the Night Court.

He paused right on the dividing line. Many emotions swirled inside him. Excitement. Curiosity. Hope. But, most notably, dread.

He’d chosen a night that Yamaguchi would be less busy but that meant the moon would be fuller and that could only mean…

He’d have to deal with Tsukishima.

He groaned. What was with that guy? Ugh. He always got on his nerves.

Yamaguchi was definitely his favorite of the two. Hinata wouldn’t go so far as to say they were close, but they got along and were polite to each other. It was better than Tsukishima who used every opportunity to mock him. Everything from the harsh glare of the sun at midday that made people flee indoors to get away to his height. He was so annoying.

One last deep breath then he stepped across.

Hinata couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to the Night Court. Or maybe never?

He stared openly at the gently curved columns and the rich tapestries telling the stories of constellations on each wall. The ceilings were clear, allowing a view of the stars and moon above. Unlike the Day Court where everything was adorned with eye searing whites and shiny gold, here the walls were a deep blue, sometimes black, with tasteful silver curling about the edges.

Most notably,it was quiet. The same peaceful quiet Hinata knew from the mortal world. His shoulders relaxed as he walked.

Occasionally, he’d pass a wind servant. They paused, staring as he walked past. They didn’t stop him - how could they? He was a god. He had more than the right to do as he pleased. He could hear murmurs of confusion and worry following him through the halls. What could his business be here?

Hinata kept his head up and continued on.

Finally he came to Yamaguchi’s and Tsukishima’s workroom. Thank Suga for giving the two courts similar layouts. He knocked, then entered, not waiting for permission.

The room was similar to his own, if a little bigger. On the left, Yamaguchi sat on a stool, bundles of cloth in his lap and baskets of threads in shades of blue and black at his feet. In his hand was a glowing silver thread that he’d been prepared to pull through his tapestry. His eyes opened wide with surprise.

On the other side, Tsukishima turned to glare at him, the crescent of his own crown rising above his blond hair. He had a setup similar to Hinata’s own and had his hands full, manipulating the moon’s strings.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded.

Hinata stepped further into the room, closing the door behind him. “Just wanted to pop in to visit.”

“No thanks. Isn’t it past your bedtime, sun god?” mocked Tsukishima.

“I’m staying up late,” Hinata replied. 

“Well, if you’re looking for entertainment, I’m afraid you’ll have to go somewhere else,” he sniffed. “I’m busy.”

“Well I didn’t want to talk to you anyway.” Hinata could feel the other god’s smouldering gaze on him as he turned away. “Hey, Yamaguchi. How’s the uh, weaving?”

Bewildered, the star god glanced down at his lap as if just remembering that’s what he was supposed to be doing. “Oh, it’s… good.”

“Nice, nice. I need your help with something.”

Hinata handed him the temari ball he’d found among his sacrifices. This one was embroidered with a swirling sunburst and a depiction of a field of crops growing as mortals tended to it. He’d wished he knew it was there before. 

“Do you think you could teach me how to make something like this?” he asked, hopeful.

Yamaguchi set down his tools and turned the temari over in his hands, examining the stitching. 

Behind him, Tsukishima deadpanned, “Picking up a hobby now, sun god?”

Hinata ignored him.

After a good minute, Yamaguchi hummed. “Yeah I think so. Do you think you could bring me a couple more examples? I want to be sure that I understand it completely.”

Hinata beamed. “Of course! I can bring more tomorrow!” Another trip to his sacrifice rooms was in order then.

Tsukishima groaned. 

Yamaguchi glanced up. “Is it ok if I hold on to this? For studying.”

“Sure! Keep it as long as you need. Oh! That reminds me…” Hinata pulled out the other item from his bag and handed it over. “I found this for you to use if you want.”

It was a small wooden box held shut by a simple latch. It didn’t look like much on the outside, but it was the contents that really mattered. Yamaguchi opened it, making a small gasp of surprise. A couple dozen of the finest threads in a rainbow of colors. Hinata had been just as surprised to find it among the other eye catching gifts.

Yamaguchi brushed his fingers across them. “Oh thank you,” he breathed.

“No problem! I’ll see you again tomorrow!”

Just as quickly as he arrived, he was gone.

* * *

_ The man looked down at him, irises burning a fiery orange-gold. “Do you accept?” he asked. “Once you do, you’ll never be able to come back.” _

_ Hinata felt himself nod, hands outstretched. “I understand. I want-” _

He woke in a tangle of sheets. The dream had already wiped itself from his memory, but it left the distinct impression that it was somehow important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the idea of Hinata's and Kageyama's competitions get more and more ridiculous. Also I love riddles, though like Hinata I'm terrible at answering them. Rip. The answer to the riddle was sunlight, ironically. I also found it in about 2 seconds. Thanks Google.
> 
> Temari balls are really cool. They were embroidery balls made by mothers for their children to play with. (Temari literally means "hand ball") But as time passed, and the embroidery became more detailed, it's turned into an art form. They're highly valuable and cherished gifts that represent deep friendship and loyalty. I recommend looking up pictures because they're very pretty.
> 
> I always feel bad that I update so slowly. I'm hoping to rework my schedule so I can be a little quicker.


	4. Molten Feelings

Normally, Kageyama wasn’t the type to worry himself over other people. They lived their lives and he lived his. It wasn’t his job to be poking his nose into their business and asking questions when he didn’t have a right to know.

But, again,  _ normally _ he wouldn’t do that.

It took everything in him to bite his tongue and not demand answers from Fudo.

The weirdness was just piling up and Kageyama had  _ questions _ .

Why could he only meet after nightfall? Why did he wear the same clothes until he was given new ones? Why did he always eat like he was starving? Where - in all the gods’ names -  _ did he live? _

Even when he did press questions, Fudo waved them off. Gave vague answers. Distracted him with another competition. 

Kageyama wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him until he answered truthfully. Because, try as he might, he was  _ worried _ . He didn’t like the picture that was forming from what he did know and the worst part was… he didn’t know what to do about it.

He hissed, the metal he’d been working with snapped. It’d cooled too much under his lack of focus. With a growl, he set his tools down and stood from his bench, opening the forge doors to place his project back inside. 

He was losing his focus. He’d barely accomplished anything today.

“Everything alright, Kageyama?”

He waved the question away. “I’m fine. Thank you, Sato.”

The other metalshaper didn’t seem convinced, but turned back to his work. Kageyama sighed. This was getting ridiculous. No matter what, he was getting answers.  _ Tonight. _

He packed up quickly at the end of the evening, for once being the first one out the door. He needed to buy some meat buns before the shop closed. Some for himself and some for Fudo. Stupid idiot needed to eat better.

Down to the harbor. The icy wind had died down in the past week and with the absence of grey clouds, it seemed like spring was on the way. 

Only fools fell for that.

It was always right on the edge of winter when the worst storms blew in. This was merely the calm before. All they could do was wait for the inevitable.

In the meantime, Kageyama enjoyed the still air. No bitter winds to bite at his nose and make him hunch into his coat. Yamaguchi’s tapestry was clear and brilliant as ever. With the absence of the moon, the stars would be much easier to chart and admire. Any worshippers would probably spend the night gazing up into their depths and reading them in a way that was incomprehensible to Kageyama himself.

He breathed out, watching the little cloud of steam float away from his lips and dissipate on the air.

The night felt kind, Kageyama thought, though he had no basis for that reasoning other than a gut feeling. He could almost imagine he was being smiled down upon by the gods.

He shook his head. What a silly thought. The gods don’t bother with the lives of mortals.

“Hi!” Fudo’s voice chirped and he turned.

The smaller boy grinned at him, lips spread so wide his eyes closed. Still wearing the clothes Kageyama gave him and the immaculate white coat that never seemed to get dirty. 

“What’s up? You look like you’re thinking real hard about something,” he said with a teasing tone. “I didn’t know that was possible.”   
  


Kageyama huffed, shoving his face away. “The only one here with no brains is you,” he shot back.

Fudo laughed and bounced at his side. “How was work?”

“It was ok. And yours?”

“Very productive!” Kageyama narrowed his eyes. “Hey! Don’t give me that look! I wasn’t slacking off, I swear! I can’t anyway. That would be bad.”

Fudo gestured with his hands in a way that was meant to be reassuring. “I promise I’ll never sleep on the job, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

That wasn’t what Kageyama was worried about  _ exactly, _ but he let the matter drop.

“Here,” he tossed the other bag of meat buns he bought to him. “Hurry up and eat.”

Fudo peeked in the bag and immediately brighted in delight at the present. But just as quickly narrowed his eyes. “What did I win?”

“Nothing. I’m giving them to you to eat. Now sit down.”

He hesitated a second longer then jumped up to sit on the wall beside Kageyama. He shot him a couple more suspicious glances, which Kageyama ignored and began eating his own dinner. After another minute - and with no protest - Fudo dug in as well.

Kageyama tried not to stare, but kept a firm eye on Fudo as he ate. Like always, it was like he was starving. No crumb was wasted, every drop of oil licked clean from his fingers. At the end he even upended the bag to search for extras.

He frowned. Shouldn’t he be eating more?   
  


Fudo hummed happily. “Thank you, Kageyama!”

“You’re welcome,” he responded quietly, deep in thought.

Fudo pointed at his own bag. “Are you going to eat all those too?” He didn’t look like he expected any more, but Kageyama shoved it in his hands, making him jolt in surprise then scarf those down as well.

He let him enjoy the food. He didn’t feel like eating anyway.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and listened to Fudo eat. There was the crash of the waves behind them and the taste of salt lingered on his lips. Nervously, he licked at them.

_ Kageyama was worried.  _

He wasn’t sure what to do about these feelings. It squeezed at his chest. Compressing and burning his ribcage like hot metal being bent inward to suit an outside force’s needs. Except he couldn’t breathe and they wouldn’t stop reheating and hammering him back down.

He had to do something about it, before he was completely bent and broken.

“Fudo,” he said. It was a little too sharp and his… friend paused his eating, nervous. He winced and cleared his throat, trying again.

“Fudo… are you being paid well?”

The energetic boy seemed to think this over. He sucked some crumbs off the skin between his thumb and pointer finger, then replied. “Yes?”

The slight question in his tone made Kageyama glower at the ground.

Did he not know what good wages were or was he lying?

“Are you eating ok?”

“Yes?”

Kageyama shot him a look. Fudo tilted his head, face blank. 

“What’s the matter?”

He gritted his teeth. “Do you only eat when you’re with me?”

“... Am I supposed to be eating more?”

“Yes! You-” he grabbed Fudo’s coat angrily, pulling him off the wall and making him drop the meat buns he’d been eating. They bounced off the ground, becoming dirty and wet from the street. “You idiot! Why aren’t you eating?”

Fudo’s brows knit together in confusion. “I didn’t know I was supposed to. How much do you eat?”

“Three meals!” Kageyama growled. He was going to drill this into Fudo’s head if he had to. “I eat three whole meals a day. Why haven’t you?”

Fudo squirmed. “I… just don’t feel hungry.” He blinked. “Can you let me go?”

Kageyama released him, fire racing in his veins, warming him from the winter chill. Well… one of his suspicions was confirmed. That just made him angrier. 

“Do you not have money or something? If you need some I… I have some extra saved for emergencies. You can have it.”

Fudo hummed. “No thanks. I don’t need it.” He toed at one of his lost meat buns sadly. “You didn’t have to push me around. Now I’ve lost my food.” He pouted.

Kageyama watched him sigh over them, then turn around and smile again. Those bright gold eyes were always being distracted by something new and shiny. His hands curled into fists. How could he act so happy? He must be starving…

He wanted to punch something. Release his anger like a match to oil, hot and vibrant and quick to consume.

He was angry, but mostly at himself for not noticing the signs sooner.

“Fudo,” he said lowly, utterly serious. “Do you actually have a job?”

“Of course I have a job.” His friend’s face twisted into a confused grin. “I told you it's very important.”

“Making temari is important work?”

Fudo paused, sensing his skepticism. “Yes, it is,” he stressed. “I have to get the strings just right or everything will fall apart.”

The way he defended his work… Kageyama remembered convincing Ukai to let him stay and work later and later. 

_ “This section is so fragile, if I stop now it’ll fall apart.” _

Turns out it won’t. Most of the time. Putting away his tools and resting wasn’t the end of the world. If something broke, it could be fixed.

“But it can’t be so important that you don’t eat,” he shot back, anger flaring again. “Where are you living? None of the inns have heard of you, Fudo. You said you live outside of town but there’s nowhere to stay! So,” he moved closer, leaning down so they were eye to eye. “Can you see why I don’t think you have a job?”

“But I do!” Fudo insisted. “Can we not talk about this? I wanted to give you something-”

“No! Not until you tell the truth!” Kageyama grabbed his wrist. He yelped. Fudo was burning hot! When he pulled away, his fingertips were bright red and stung.

Fudo’s eyes went wide. “Are you ok? I didn’t mean…”

Kageyama cupped his burnt hand - he’d ask about that later - and hissed in pain. “What the hell was that?”

“Sorry! It was an accident!” He stammered. This was the first time Kageyama had seen him so distraught. Yes, he got upset by things, but it was always pushed aside by his annoying optimism and weirdly serene attitude about everything. 

“Here, I got this for you. As a thank you. For the clothes.”

A heavy bag was pressed into Kageyama’s hands. Fudo waited expectantly for him to open it, expression hopeful.

Kageyama stared at him. What was up with him tonight? Everything was spinning out of control. He’d come expecting to get answers and now he had more questions.

“Open it!”

“Fine! But you are going to answer my questions.  _ Understand? _ ”

Fudo bit his lip, but nodded, gesturing towards the bag again.

Hesitantly, Kageyama did.

He thought he was imagining the contents and so stood there, frozen. Slowly, he reached inside and pulled one out to see closer in the moonlight.

A bar of gold.

Silver, bronze. Little sapphires and rubies and emeralds all lined up on the wall. 

Fudo smiled. “Surprise! I thought you could use them in your projects. Since you’re a metalshaper and all. They were hard to find, to be honest. So I hope you like them!”

Kageyama forgot how to breathe. He turned, achingly stiff and forced his mouth to move. 

“Did you  _ steal  _ these?”

Fudo frowned. “No. Those are mine. I wasn’t using them, so I thought you’d like them.” His face was clear, devoid of lies. He really was telling the truth. 

You  _ do _ like them, right?” He asked, tone hopeful.

Kageyama turned back to the collection of precious metals and gems. These were high quality. The kind of materials only temples and wealthy clients could pay for. Exactly the kind of stuff he loved to work with.

But how did a guy who couldn’t afford to feed himself have them?

He swept the ‘gifts’ back in the sack and shoved it at Fudo, making him stumble. “I don’t want your gifts.”

His face fell. “What? Was there something you didn’t like? I can get you something else-”

“I don’t want your gifts!” Kageyama shouted. Fudo flinched. 

He panted, hands balled in fists and seethed. “I want the truth.  _ Now _ . Where is this stuff coming from? Where do you live and how are you even taking care of yourself?”

“Does it matter…?”

“Yes! Gods above-” He moved closer into Fudo’s personal space, making him step back, but he was unrelenting. “I’m only going to say this once so you better listen the hell up. You’re my friend and I’m  _ worried _ . What is going on with you?  _ Explain. Now. _ ”

Fudo twitched, his eyes going wide. “Friends?” he mumbled.

“Are you going to answer me?”

He pressed his lips together, the gold in his eyes swirling orange and red and burning so hot and deep. Indecisiveness playing across his features.

“I…” 

Kageyama leaned closer.

“I can’t,” Fudo finished lamely. “Sorry?”

He didn’t know what else he expected. He huffed, “Can’t or won’t?”

Fudo glanced down. It was all the answer he needed.

“Go away,” Kageyama said, feeling very tired. 

“...What?”

“I said go away! Leave!” he howled. “Get out of here!”

“Kageyama,” Fudo raised his hands, eyes wide. “You don’t actually mean that.”

He moved before he could stop himself. He shoved Fudo  _ hard _ , making him stumble backwards and crash to the stone ground with a cry. His chest was a furnace and he was so  _ angry _ and wanted it all to  _ go away. _

Blue met gold in a hard stare. Fudo’s eyes had always been so curious and sharp, noticing the tiniest details and drinking in everyday things like they were wonders to behold. Now they were filled with hurt.

Kageyama couldn’t see the hurt swirled in his own eyes.

“I don’t ever want to see you again!”

A piece of him seemed to shatter at that, but he held firm and turned away, not looking back as he heard Fudo get to his feet and run away.

He hissed, blinking rapidly as he tried to hold back tears. 

_ His friend… _

Fudo was gone by the time he turned back around and Kageyama felt very, very empty.

* * *

Reforge, reheat, shape the metal. What used to be a comforting rhythm became monotonous. His passion was gone. Snuffed out as easily as cold water poured on a fire. 

Kageyama stared blankly at his project and tried to remember what he was even planning on doing with it. He’d felt so lost in the past week.

After his fight with Fudo, he’d slunk back to their usual meeting spot with his head down and an apology ready on his lips. But Fudo never came. Not that night or the night after that. For a full week he was gone. 

Kageyama sunk further into his guilt.

He kept replaying that night over and over in his head. Should he have been more gentle? Not so demanding? But then, sometimes he’d remember Fudo’s unwillingness to answer basic questions. Not taking the help Kageyama had offered and he’d burn with hot anger, thinking his friend deserved it.

Eventually his anger would cool again and he’d feel twice as worse.

“Kageyama?”

He jumped, realizing that he’d been staring off into space. Ukai leaned on his workbench, concern in his eyes. 

“Are you doing alright? You sick or something? You haven’t been looking good for the past few days...”

“I’m fine,” he mumbled, picking up one of his hammers intent to look busy but discovered his metal had cooled while he hadn’t been paying attention. Awkwardly, he rose from the bench and headed towards the forge. “Sorry. I’m falling behind. I’ll work harder to catch up.”

“Hey,” Ukai caught his arm, pulling him away from the forge. “Listen, I admire your dedication to your clients, but sometimes you have to take care of yourself first. Do you want to take a few days off-?”

Kageyama shook his head vehemently. He needed a distraction. Sitting around at home gave him too much time to think. He’d rather be here, amid the heat and sounds of the forge than in silence.

Ukai pressed his lips together, clearly doubtful, but sighed. “Ok. You can keep working. Just… Kageyama?”

“Yes?”

“If you need to talk about something, I’d be more than willing to listen.”

He moved away, leaving Kageyama alone with his thoughts. On autopilot he opened the forge doors and restarted his work rhythm.

Talk about his problems? It wasn’t something he usually considered. But with how genuinely lost he was... maybe he should?

With that seed planted, he got back to work.

At the end of the day Kageyama moved slowly to put his tools away, making sure that he’d be the last one there. Thankfully it never took long and then it was just him and Ukai. His boss stirring the coals of one of the other forges to make sure it was truly put out for the night.

Kageyama waited patiently for him to finish, just a meter or so away.

Ukai wiped his brow and set the shovel he’d been using off to the side then closed the furnace door, locking it in place with a heavy  _ thunk _ . He wiped his hands off on his leather apron and turned-

_ “Gah!”  _

He lowered his fists awkwardly from his defensive position. “Sheesh Kageyama. Don’t do that! I nearly socked you in the nose.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

He huffed and put his hands on his hips, leaning over as he exhaled slowly. Finally ready, he lifted his head. “What do you need? And, no, I’m not letting you stay late. I just got you out of the habit, I’m not letting you start again.”

“It’s not about staying late,” Kageyama reassured. He bit his lip. “It’s about something else.”

Ukai raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“So,” he summarized, an hour later. “You had a fight with your friend because you suspected he was homeless?”

Kageyama went red. “Well it doesn’t sound good when you say it like that!”

Ukai raised his hands in surrender. “I’m just stating the facts here. No judgement, I promise. Believe me, I did wilder shit back when I was your age. But in any case,” he changed the subject with a cough, “I think you did a good thing.”

“The principle behind it,” he added quickly. “Not the fighting. Don’t make a habit out of fighting, it doesn’t get you anywhere. But, back to this friend of yours-”

“Fudo.”

“Right. Fudo. Weird name... but whatever. You saw that Fudo seemed to be in a rough spot and wanted to help him out of it. I think whatever the disagreement, he’ll recognize that.”

Kageyama nodded glumly. “But what if he hates me? I… I want to apologize to him. For pushing him and being mean. I was just really worried…”

Ukai patted his shoulder. “Just give it some time. Hopefully he’ll come back so you can apologize. I certainly hope you get that chance. This friend of yours sounds pretty great. And you know what? I think he’s helped you out too.”

“What do you mean?”

He snorted. “For one, you don’t stay here until past midnight.” At Kageyama’s indignant look, he just laughed some more.

“Ok, it’s more than that! You’ve seemed... more happy. I didn’t want to pry, but it’s good to see you smiling. The other shapers like it too. They like talking to you, ya’know.” He nudged him with his elbow, “talk to them sometime. You’d be surprised what you might learn.”

Kageyama blinked. He hadn’t even realized...

Ukai slapped his back amicably. “Well, it’s very late and my bed is calling. I’ll talk to you again tomorrow. Now shoo.”

He did as he was told and bundled up. He pulled open the heavy door and paused, turning slightly. “Um… thank you. For listening.”

Ukai smiled. “Anytime, Kageyama. Take care of yourself, ok?”

He nodded and left. 

It was, as Ukai pointed out, very late. Just the sound of his footsteps on the road and the creak of buildings as the wind whistled through them. The gentle lapping of the waves on the shore was like lullaby, calling him to sleep.

Kageyama paused at his and Fudo’s usual meeting spot and gazed out over them for a moment.

Talking had helped surprisingly. The sharp hurt that penetrated him to his core had dulled to melancholy, but still ached beneath the surface.

He could almost imagine Fudo sitting on the wall beside him, gold eyes bright with a challenge. The tilt of his head before he asked a weird question and how he literally bounced with excitement.

How annoying he was.

Kageyama missed it.

He exhaled, uncurling his hands from the subconscious fists he’d been making. He glanced up. The moon and stars up above, the waves endlessly pushing and pulling before him, the night that swallowed all sound.

“Please,” he whispered. “Tell Fudo I’m sorry.”

It wasn’t a proper prayer and neither did the gods work like that. They were no simple messengers. It was dumb hope, born of desperation. He just hoped that someone would hear him.

The stars didn’t realign. The moon didn’t shine in a spotlight on his face. The waves continued their endless cycle. 

Kageyama went home.

* * *

Routine was both good and bad. 

Kageyama reabsorbed himself in forging, finding it easy to slip back into the mindset of working late with no one waiting for him. It was only because of Ukai that he hung his tools up at the end of the day and faced the frozen walk back home. He didn’t like that walk.

Even when he actively tried to take a different path, his feet still carried him past their usual meeting spot. He’d always felt so warm around Fudo. Like he could shed his coat and run around forever like a little kid. Or perhaps that was just nostalgia twisting his memories. He paused as he usually did, looking out over the white froth and swirling depths of Kiyoko’s waves.

Everything just felt a little bit emptier, to be honest.

Did he feel like this before he met Fudo?

He shook his head. Strange thoughts he was having tonight. He must just be tired.

Though, before he left, he laid out a napkin and warm meat bun, placing them on the wall. Kinda like an offering, he mused. 

He wasn’t sure what compelled him to do that. It was a waste of perfectly good food and it wasn’t like it’d stay warm in the cold. But, for whatever reason, it just felt right.

He hoped that Fudo came back.

* * *

“Can I stay a bit longer?”

Ukai gave him a hard look, opening his mouth to instantly deny his request, but Kageyama pressed further.

“It’s not for very long. I already have the metal heated. It just seems like a waste to let it cool at this point.”

Ukai hummed, arms folded in consideration. “How long do you think it’ll take?”

“Half an hour? Maybe more if I’m careful.” 

His boss grunted. “Alright. I’ll allow it just this once. You haven’t eaten yet either, right?”

He nodded. Usually he’d just buy something after work, but he was more than used to skipping if needed.

“Ok. I’ll go get you something for afterwards. I can’t be sending you home on an empty stomach.”

Kageyama blinked in surprise and reached for his pockets. “I can pay for it.”

Ukai waved him off. “Don’t worry about it, kid. I can afford to buy the occasional meal for my employees. Think of it as a thank you for your hard work.”

“Oh… thanks.” He shuffled awkwardly, not knowing how to react.

Ukai sighed and reached over to ruffle his hair and push him back to his workbench. “Keep an eye on your metal. I’ll be back soon.” He chuckled at his expression and just grabbed his coat, and swung the door open in one smooth motion.

It slammed shut behind him and Kageyama stood slightly bewildered at the exchange. He patted his hair back in place. Weird. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had bought him a meal or been so affectionate with him.

He didn’t want to read too much into it.

It was during another reheating that he heard the door open. He didn’t bother turning around, assuming it to just be Ukai, back with food. He continued his careful watch over the metal as turned from grey to deep red.

Judging it ready, he pulled it from the furnace and turned, ready to set it on the anvil for hammering. He jumped.

That wasn’t Ukai.

“Fudo?” he gapped.

His friend awkwardly waved, then pushed his hands to his side as if ashamed. He bit his lip roughly. “Hi Kageyama,” he murmured.

They stared at each other. Kageyama hardly dared to breathe. Fudo didn’t look good. Shadows lurked under his eyes and his gold irises didn’t seem so bright. He couldn’t even seem to hold his gaze for too long before it darted away to look somewhere else.

Fudo hunched into his coat and shuffled his feet. “Sorry I’ve been gone for so long. I just… had to think.”

Kageyama jolted, stepping forward. “No, this was my fault. I shouldn’t have pushed you. I was worried and you were being such an idiot-”  _ Oh, nice. He’d already ruined his apology.  _ “I mean, I wanted to help. I…”

Fudo smiled. “I get it. And I appreciate it. There’s just some things I can’t talk about.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

Kageyama mentally facepalmed.  _ Don’t bring that up again! _

Fudo laughed slightly. “Yeah, you’re right. Won’t is the word I should use. I  _ won’t _ tell you some things.”

He moved closer. “But you’re ok? Truely?”

“Yes,” Fudo nodded. “I’m ok. And I can take care of myself. Sorry for offending you with my gift. I thought you’d like it.”

“About that…” Kageyama tilted his head. “Where did you get them anyways?”

Fudo opened his mouth, but his eyes darted to Kageyama’s hands. “Your metal-!”

Kageyama cursed. He should’ve set it down first! Now it was bending and dripping out of shape. He jumped, trying to avoid burning himself as he spun towards his work bench.

“Don’t worry I’ll get it!” His friend stepped forward, eyes locked on his disastrous project.

“Fudo, don’t-!”

His warning was too late. Fudo gathered crimson molten metal in his hands in an attempt to save it, sparks swirling out of his hands with a whoosh, spinning in the air delicately like leaves on the wind.

Kageyama dropped the tongs in a panic and grabbed his arm, making him release it between them. It sparked on the stone floor, but didn’t do much else.

“Holy shit!” Kageyama grabbed Fudo’s hands, turning the palms up to see the damage. His chest constricted. How could he be so  _ stupid? _

Fudo didn’t flinch or cry out. There was no sizzle of flesh burning. His hands were warm, but smooth and untouched.

Kageyama flipped them back and forth. This was impossible. His hands should be burned - melted - to the bone. There was nothing. No blistering or even red marks. It looked healthy and clean.

“Kageyama, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.” Fudo gave him a nervous smile. “Oops. I shouldn’t have done that…”

“How…?” Kageyama whispered.

Fudo pulled his hands out of his. “Sorry for ruining your work.”

His project was the last thing on his mind. Kageyama’s mind spun. No human could possibly pull that kind of stunt and walk away unharmed. That’s why there were so many protective rules for forging.

_ No human… _

Fudo was still rambling, slowly reaching out when Kageyama wasn’t quick enough to respond. He might’ve forgotten how to breathe.

The pieces clicked into place.

He raised his head and swallowed. Fudo froze in place as they locked eyes. Kageyama spoke quietly but forcefully, knowing his hunch had to be absolutely correct. 

“You’re not human are you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience between updates! I keep promising that I'll get the next chapters out faster but it never happens. Mostly because my brain is just a giant game of ping pong lol. I really do appreciate your support though! I love you all! Stay safe and healthy!

**Author's Note:**

> This AU is purely self indulgent since I'm a fan of Mythology. This entire idea is sponsored by the weird thoughts I have at 2 am and my own personal demons.
> 
> Updates will be irregular or far apart because I'm putting most of my focus into another fic right now. But don't worry! I'll definitely finish this cause I already have the majority of it mapped out. :)
> 
> I love and appreciate comments!


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